Mrs. Paula Margaret Bannon, 82, beloved wife of William Harry “Bill” Bannon and a resident of Greenbush, passed away Friday, June 20, 2025. Born Oct. 18, 1942, in England, Paula moved to the United States in 1964.
Paula was raised in a Catholic home and remained faithful to her traditional English Catholic heritage. As fate would have it, she caught the eye of an American soldier at a gathering with friends and following a brief courtship, Paula married the love of her life, William H. Bannon. They settled in Washington, D.C., where they raised their son, Adam, and in 1990 they retired to the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Paula’s love and expertise in growing orchids led her to become a judge for the American Orchid Society, having traveled to many shows throughout the country. Though she hung up her judgeship hat after relocating to the Shore, her passion for orchids never faded. Paula relished the quiet, slow-paced lifestyle of the Shore, spending countless hours in her greenhouses carefully nourishing her many varieties of orchids, working in her gardens along their bayside property, and reading a good book. She was an excellent cook and loved going out to dinner for steamed shrimp.
In addition to her husband of 42 years, she is survived by her son, Adam, and granddaughters, Grace and Ava, all of Washington, D.C., and her yellow lab, James, who was always by her side. Paula’s family is grateful for the constant care and compassion shown to her by her caregiver, Mary Scarborough.
A memorial mass will be conducted from the chapel of the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 2, at 1 p.m., with Father Michael Imperial officiating.
Contributions in Paula’s memory may be made to the American Orchid Society: https://secure.aos.org/donate
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at
www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements are by the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home.
